Frequently Asked Questions

Neuropsychology is the study of brain functioning and how this relates to thinking skills, emotions, behaviour and day-to-day function. A qualified clinical neuropsychologist can undertake a neuropsychological assessment, using a range of cognitive tests to help diagnose and treat various cognitive, emotional, and behavioural conditions affecting the brain. Read more about neuropsychological assessment here.

For clinical appointments, a referral from your doctor is recommended but may not be necessary. Referral letters provide important contextual information and help identify key areas to be covered in your appointment. A referral from a medical practitioner is necessary for autism assessments. 

For medicolegal appointments, a letter of instruction or referral letter is required before the appointment is confirmed.

Waiting times for appointments vary depending on the type of neuropsychological assessment needed, with urgent appointments available by arrangement. Please contact us for more information or to make a booking.

It’s important to be functioning at your best for your assessment, so remember to bring glasses or hearing aids if required. Get a good night’s sleep beforehand – if you are travelling from a regional area, consider arriving the night prior. On the day, bring any relevant test results, school reports, imaging reports or other medical information or relevant reports. Consider bringing a snack for break times, too, as assessments can take several hours (though our Bondi Junction office is also conveniently located with a range of options nearby).

When you arrive, your clinical neuropsychologist will conduct an initial interview to find out background information about your personal and medical history including education, occupation, medical issues and substance use. A family member or carer may be present for this interview and contribute background information. Following this interview, the clinical neuropsychologist will conduct a range of tests to assess abilities including language, concentration, attention, memory, learning, problem solving and decision making. Depending on the length of the assessment, short breaks will be offered.

Yes, you are welcome to bring a family member, carer or other support person to accompany you. They can be present and contribute relevant information during the interview stage, but they will be asked to leave during the assessment itself to ensure that both the patient and clinician can focus on testing.

Each appointment typically takes 3-4 hours including breaks, though this can vary depending on the type of assessment and detail needed. Morning or afternoon sessions are generally available, and assessments may also be split over two sessions where required.

After your appointment, the clinical neuropsychologist will record and analyse your test results and write an accompanying report. This generally takes two weeks, but can be prioritised for urgent cases on request. In most cases (with the exception of medicolegal assessments), patients attend a follow-up appointment in person (or via telehealth) to receive a written report and detailed feedback on results, including information on diagnosis and recommendations for further treatment.

For clinical appointments, your results are shared only with the referrer and/or other professionals with your consent. For medicolegal assessments, there is limited confidentiality, which will be discussed with you as part of the consent process: You must consent for the report of assessment to be released to the referrer.

Neuropsychological test data will not be released to non-psychologists due to the high risk of misinterpretation by individuals not suitably trained in understanding psychometric data. This policy is in line with recommendations by the Australian Psychological Society. However, results are carefully detailed and explained in the written report. Exceptions do apply. Please contact us to discuss.

Fees vary according to the type of neuropsychology assessment and time required. Currently, neuropsychology assessment is not covered under Medicare. Some assessments may be partially covered by private health insurance, WorkCover or covered under the NDIS. Payment is due prior to or on the day of the assessment. Please contact us for further information about fees.

Yes. A late cancellation is a cancellation made within three working days of the appointment without sufficient medical evidence. The amount due depends on the type of referral and who is paying for the assessment. 

There is meter parking outside our Bondi Junction office on Oxford St and surrounding streets for up to 2 hours from 12pm onwards (but for shorter periods prior to 12pm). It is therefore recommended that you use a parking station. The closest parking stations are Waverley Library and Eastgate shopping centre (see https://bit.ly/2OzD8sf for location, prices and other options).

Waverley Library is the closest parking station and its entry is on Ebley St. Be aware that the lift up to the ground floor of the library does not operate before 9:30am. If you have a morning appointment, you will need to either walk two short flights of stairs up to Denison St (just past the lifts in the carpark on the south-western wall – look for the sign on the door), or walk back out the way you drove in.

When returning to your car, walk in through the main library entry and take the lift down into the carpark. The pay machine is on Level B1.

Good idea. Bondi Junction train and bus station is only a 13 minute train ride from Central Station, and only 5 minutes walk from the office.

Yes, as a Registered NDIS Provider, Focus Neuropsychology works with support coordinators and patients to offer assessments and treatment recommendations. We accept self-managed, plan-managed and NDIA-managed plans.

Currently Focus Neuropsychology offers assessment services for adolescents (aged 16+) and adults.

While in-person appointments are preferable wherever possible, we offer telehealth assessments via Zoom for patients who live outside Sydney or are unable to visit our office for medical reasons.

Yes, we offer individual programs designed to help older adults improve memory and cognition, including lifestyle factors and learning strategies.